Forced demolitions and evictions are often reported in China, where all land is legally owned by the government.

Eager to make way for new developments, local officials sometimes use intimidation and violence to make residents move out, triggering public anger.

The woman’s home had been due to be demolished after August 28 under a scheme to renovate the city’s shanty towns, but her family had applied to delay her moving out because the 92-year-old was in poor health.